K

Keene’s cement, flooring cement, gypsum cement, hard-burnt plaster, tiling plaster A hard, white, high-strength, quick-setting finishing plaster; takes a high polish; made by burning gypsum at a high temperature, grinding to a fine powder, and then adding alum (to accelerate the set).

keep, donjon The stronghold of a medieval castle, usually in the form of a massive tower, and a place of residence, esp. in times of siege.

keeper Same as strike plate.

keeping room A room at the back of a colonial New England house, which served as a combination kitchen, living room, and workroom.

Kelly ball test, ball test A test which uses a device consisting of a metal plunger (having a hemispherical bottom) which is guided by side stirrups; indicates the consistency of fresh concrete by the depth of penetration when the plunger drops.

kelvin (K) The International Standard unit of temperature. Absolute zero equals 0°K = −273.16°C = 459.69°F. A temperature increase of 1°K is numerically equal to an increase of 1°C.

Kentish rag See ragstone.

Kentish tracery Circumscribed tracery motif, with foils separated by barbs or with forked cusps.

keratin A proteinaceous material used as a retarder for plaster.

kerb British variant of curb.

kerbplate (Brit.) See curb plate.

kerbstone (Brit.) Same as curbstone.

kerf 1. In a suspended acoustical ceiling, a groove cut into the edges of an acoustical tile to receive splines or supporting members of the ceiling suspension system. 2. A slot or cut made in a material such as wood or metal.

kerfed beam A piece of wood having a series of parallel saw cuts part-way through its back to permit it to bend more easily.

kerfing Making a series of parallel saw cuts part-way through the thickness of a piece of wood to enable the piece to bend toward the kerfed side.

kerkis In an ancient Greek theater, one of the wedge-shaped sections of seating of the theater, divided by radiating staircases.

kettle crane Same as fireplace crane.

kevel, cavel, cavil 1. A stone mason’s axe with a flat face for knocking off projecting angular points, and a pointed peen for reducing a surface to the desired form; also called a jedding axe. 2. A heavy timber, as a timber bolted between two stanchions.

kevil Same as kevel.

key 1. A wedge which passes through a hole in a projecting tenon to secure its hold. 2. A piece of metal or wood which is inserted in a joint to prevent movement between adjacent surfaces. 3. A piece inserted in the back of a board to prevent warping. 4. The last board in a series of floorboards, tapering in shape, and serving to hold the others in place when driven home. 5. The property of a material that facilitates the bonding of another material to it. 6. The roughening on the underside of veneer or similar material to assist it in holding glue. 7. The roughened surface on the back of tile or the like to assist it in holding mortar. 8. In plastering or similar work, that part of the plastic material that is forced between and enters the holes in (or clings to the roughened surface of) the backing lath. 9. A keystone. 10. A groove cut in a surface into which fits a corresponding projection from a member above, as a keyed footing. 11. A detachable metal instrument which operates a lock; it is inserted into the lock and moves a bolt, latch, or catch.

key banding, key pattern Same as Greek key.

key block A keystone.

key bolt Same as cotter pin.

key brick A brick which is tapered toward one end; used in brick arches.

key console A console, 1 which acts as the keystone of an arch.

key course 1. A course of keystones in an arch; used in a deep archway where a single keystone will not suffice. 2. A course of keystones used in the crown of a barrel vault.

key drop A keyhole cover, usually attached to the escutcheon by a pivot.

keyed Said of a concrete form, or the like, which is fixed in position in a recess or notch.

keyed-alike cylinders Lock cylinders which are designed to be operated on by the same key, as opposed to master-keyed cylinders, which may be opened by the same master key but are keyed differently.

keyed beam A compound beam having mating grooves between adjacent layers to resist horizontal shearing stresses at the interfaces.

keyed brick A brick having a recess in one face (usually of the dovetail type); used to provide a mechanical key for plasterwork or rendering.

keyed construction joint Same as joggle joint.

keyed-differently cylinders Lock cylinders requiring specific individually designed keys for their operation.

keyed-in frame A door frame erected with wall materials forced behind the frame back-band; the wall thickness is equal to or greater than the opening between the backbands, but is not wider than the jamb depth.

keyed joint Same as concave joint.

keyed pointing See key joint pointing.

keyed tenon Same as tusk tenon.

key escutcheon Same as key plate.

keyhole saw A compass saw having an especially narrow blade and fine teeth.

keying in The bonding of a new brick wall to an existing one.

key interlock A mechanism that permits operation, insertion, or removal of a key to a piece of equipment only if certain conditions have been met or prescribed operations have been completed; may be required to meet specified safety conditions and to prevent improper (or unauthorized) operation of the equipment.

key joint pointing, keyed pointing Pointing in which the soft mortar is pressed and worked into shape by means of a tool having a convex edge.

keypad lock A door lock that opens when the correct set of digits has been “punched in.”

key pattern See labyrinth fret.

key pile The last pile driven into a bay of sheet-piling; usually slightly tapered.

key plan A small-scale plan of a building or building group which indicates the placement of the principal elements of the scheme.

key plate A small plate or escutcheon having only a keyhole.

key schedule A table that lists the key numbers for all doors on a construction job.

keystone, key block 1. The central voussoir of an arch, which is often embellished; until the keystone is in place, no true arch action takes place. 2. An element resembling a keystone in function or in shape.

keystone arch Any arch having a keystone at its center, but commonly a flat arch or a round-topped arch.

key switch In an electric circuit, an on-off switch which can be actuated only by the insertion of a key, 11.

key valve A valve which can be operated only by the insertion of a key, 11.

keyway 1. The aperture in a lock cylinder which receives the key and closely engages with it throughout its length. 2. A slot used to interlock slabs of masonry walls built at different times.

k factor See thermal conductivity.

kg Abbr. for “kilogram.”

khan Same as caravansary.

khaya Closely resembles but is not a true mahogany; lighter, usually softer, and more strongly figured than mahogany; esp. used for paneling and veneer.

khory In early Russian architecture, a gallery.

kiblah, keblah, qibla In Islam, the required orientation of the prayer niche, toward Mecca.

kick In a brick, a shallow indent or frog.

kickboard Same as toeboard.

kicker 1. Same as starter frame. 2. A piece of wood which is attached to a formwork member to take the thrust of another member.

kicker plate A plate, 2 used to anchor a stair to concrete.

kicking piece A short timber which is fixed to a wale so as to take up the thrust of the end of a diagonal strut.

kickout 1. In excavation work, the accidental release or failure of a shore or brace. 2. At the bottom of a vertical downspout, an elbow that directs water away from a wall.

kickpipe A section of pipe which provides mechanical protection for an electric cable where it projects from a floor or deck.

kickplate 1. A protective plate applied on the lower rail of a door to prevent marring. 2. A vertical plate forming a lip or low curb at the open edge of a stair platform or floor, or at the back edge or open end of a stair tread.

kick rail A short rail mounted on a door near its lower edge, used to kick the door open, primarily on institutional doors.

kick roof A roof having flared eaves.

kick strip Same as kicker, 2.

kieselguhr See diatomite.

kill To seal, 6.

killesse Same as coulisse, 1.

kiln A furnace, oven, or heated enclosure used: (a) for burning or firing brick and tile; (b) for drying timber.

kiln brown stain, chemical brown stain A brown-colored stain that develops during kiln-drying or air-drying of lumber as a result of changes in the wood extractives.

kiln-dried, hot-air-dried Dried or seasoned artificially in a kiln; excess moisture has been driven off by heating; usually has a moisture content, 1 of 6 to 12%.

kiln-fired brick See burnt brick.

kiln-run Brick or tile, all from one kiln, which has not been sorted or graded for size or color variation.

kiln scum See scum.

kiln white, kiln scum A white scum that has formed on a brick surface during firing as the result of drier scum and kiln atmosphere. Also see scum.

kilo (k) Prefix, used in the International System of Units, denoting multiplication by 1000.

kilocalorie The heat required to raise 1 kilogram of water 1°C; the equivalent of 1000 small calories. Also see calorie.

kilogram The International Standard unit for mass; equals 1000 grams.

kilonewton An International Standard unit of force equal to 1000 newtons, 0.2248 kips, or 224.8 pounds.

kilovolt A unit of electromotive force equal to 1,000 volts.

kilovolt-ampere In an electric circuit, the product of the current in amperes and the applied voltage (expressed in volts), divided by 1,000.

kilowatt A unit of power equal to 1,000 watts; equivalent to approx. 1.34 horsepower.

kilowatt-hour A unit of energy equal to 1,000 watt-hours; equal to the work expended in 1 hour at a rate of 1.34 horsepower.

kingbolt A tie rod or long bolt which takes the place of a king post.

king closer, beveled closer A rectangular brick, one end of which has been cut off diagonally to half the width of the brick (a three-quarter brick); used as a closer in brickwork.

king piece Same as king post.

king pile 1. A pile along the center line of a wide trench which supports timbers that run to it from both sides of an excavation. 2. A pile which provides added support for a precast concrete or sheet steel pile wall.

king post 1. In a truss, as for a roof, a vertical member extending from the apex of the inclined rafters to the tie beam between the rafters at their lower ends. 2. See joggle post, 2.

king-post truss A structural support for a roof formed by two inclined rafters joined at the apex of their intersection; a horizontal tie beam, 2 connects the rafters near their lower ends, and a vertical central member, called the king post, connects the apex with the midpoint of the tie beam.

king rod Same as kingbolt.

king stud A stud that is centrally located in a gable, usually supporting the collar purlin.

king-table In medieval architecture, the stringcourse, with ballflower ornaments, usually under parapets.

kiosk 1. A small pavilion, usually open, built in gardens and parks. 2. A similar structure, often enclosed, for the sale of merchandise such as newspapers or magazines.

kiot In early Russian architecture, a niche to house one or more icons.

kip A unit of force; equals 1000 pounds (4448 newtons).

kirileion A sacristy in an Eastern Orthodox church.

kirk A church, especially in Scotland.

kiss mark A mark on a brick face produced during firing; results from the method of stacking.

kistvaen See cistvaen.

kitchen A room intended for the preparation and cooking of food, often where meals are also eaten; if prepared in a structure detached from the main house, then called an outkitchen. Also see summer kitchen.

kitchen cabinet A case or box-like assembly consisting of doors, drawers, and shelves primarily used for storage for food, utensils, linen, etc.

kitchenette A small room or an alcove fitted with the essential conveniences of a kitchen.

kitchen garden A private garden especially for raising vegetables and herbs.

kit home Same as prefabricated house.

kite winder On a staircase, a winder which is triangular in shape.

kitsch Art or architecture that is sentimental or banal in tone; considered to have little or no aesthetic value.

kiva In some Indian villages of the American Southwest, an assembly room (often partly or wholly underground) which has a packed earth floor, a firepit at its center, and a flat roof supported by hewn logs that are covered by small branches, matting, and a layer of earth. The room is usually entered through a roof hatchway by means of a ladder whose poles extend well above the flat rooftop.

klinkart A yellowish long, hard brick; primarily used in paving.

km Abbr. for “kilometer.”

kN Abbr. for kilonewton, a unit of force.

knapped flint A flint stone that has been broken or chipped to obtain a desired shape; often set in patterns in a wall, with the split face showing.

knapping hammer A steel hammer for breaking stone; used for splitting cobbles and for shaping paving stones or producing roughly sized material; usually has two square (or rectangular) faces, or one such face and a wedge peen.

knaur See knur, burl, 1.

kneading compaction The compaction of a plastic soil by the action of a sheepsfoot roller.

knee 1. A piece of wood having a bend, either natural or artificially set; a crook, 2. 2. A part of the back of a handrail having a convex upper surface. 3. See label stop, 2.

knee brace A corner brace; a diagonal member placed across the angle between two members that are joined; serves to stiffen and strengthen a framework so constructed.

knee iron A kneepiece, 2, fabricated of iron.

kneeler, kneestone, skew 1. A building stone which is sloped on top and flat on the bottom, as the stone that supports inclined coping on the slope of a gable. Also see footstone; gable springer. 2. The stone that breaks the horizontal-vertical unit-and-joint pattern of a normal masonry wall to begin the curve or angle of an arch or vault.

knee piece 1. Same as knee rafter. 2. An angular piece of timber used in a roof to strengthen a joint where two timbers meet.

knee rafter 1. A principal rafter having a bend in it. 2. A brace between a principal rafter and a tie beam.

knee roof A curb roof.

kneestone See kneeler.

knee timber A timber having a natural curve or knee 1.

knee wall A wall which acts as a knee brace by supporting roof rafters at some intermediate position along their length; shortens the span of the rafters.

knife-blade fuse A cartridge fuse having a metal blade at each end of a cylindrical tube for making contact with the fuse within.

knife consistency, knife grade A grade of caulking or glazing compound which has the proper firmness for application with a putty knife.

knife file A file having a blade-like cross section, with a sharp edge; used to finish narrow grooves.

knife grade See knife consistency.

knife switch A type of electric switch consisting of one or more movable copper blades which are hinged and which make contact with stationary forked contact jaws by being forced between them.

knob 1. A handle, more or less spherical, usually for operating a lock. 2. A similar protuberance, useful or ornamental, such as a boss.

knobbing, knobbling, skiffling In stone-cutting, a preliminary process, usually the knocking off of pieces projecting beyond the required dimensions.

knob bolt A door lock with a bolt controlled by a knob on one or both sides.

knob latch A door latch with a spring bolt controlled by a knob on one or both sides.

knob lock A door lock with a spring bolt controlled by one or both knobs, and a dead bolt controlled by a key.

knob rose A round disk or plate fastened to the face of a door around the hole in the door through which the doorknob spindle passes.

knob shank The projecting stem of a knob into which the spindle is fastened.

knob top That part of a doorknob which the hand grasps.

knocked down (KD) Prefabricated, but not assembled; said of items delivered to the jobsite for assembly there.

knocked-down frame A doorframe furnished by the manufacturer in three or more basic parts for assembly in the field.

knocker See door knocker.

knockings In stone masonry, the smaller pieces knocked off in dressing stone.

knocking up 1. Preparing and mixing a batch of concrete, mortar, or plaster. 2. The reworking of a mortar mix so that it is plastic once again.

knockout A partially punched-out circular area in the surface of an electrical outlet, junction box, or panel box; can easily be removed with a hammer, pliers, or screwdriver to provide access for the attachment of a raceway cable or fitting.

knop Same as knob, 2.

knot 1. In medieval architecture, a bunch of leaves, flowers, or similar ornament, as the bosses at the intersections of ribs, and bunches of foliage in capitals. 2. An ornamental design resembling cords which are interlaced. 3. The hard, cross-grained mass of wood formed in a trunk at the place where a branch joins the trunk. 4. In fabric construction, the presence of an imperfection that will cause a surface irregularity.

knot brush A brush having its bristles grouped in one to three thick knots (of round or oval shape); used for distempers.

knot-cluster A compact, roughly circular group of three or more knots in wood, each surrounded by contorted grain.

knot garden A complicated garden design, usually small in area, and making use of plants set in geometric patterns, low hedges of shrubs trimmed into ornamental shapes as borders, and green foliage set off by sharp color contrast.

knothole A hole in a board or plank caused when a knot, 3 drops out of the piece of wood.

knotted pillar, knotted shaft A form of pillar, occurring in Romanesque architecture, so carved as to appear as if knotted in the middle.

knotting, knot sealer A sealer (such as shellac, aluminum paint, or varnish) for knots in new wood; used to prevent bleed-through of resin into paints.

knotty pine Wood of the pine tree cut so that the knots form a decorative pattern; used for interior paneling and cabinets.

knotwork A carved ornamental arrangement of cord-like figures knotted together as in some kinds of fringe, used to decorate voussoirs, moldings, etc.

knuckle One of the cylindrically projecting parts of a hinge through which the pin passes.

knuckle bend A bend having a short radius.

knuckle joint 1. See curb joint. 2. A type of hinged joint between two rods.

knulling 1. A convex rounded molding of slight projection, consisting of a series of more or less elaborate members separated by indentations. 2. Same as knurling.

knur, knurl A knot or burl, 1 in wood.

knurling 1. A series of small ridges, usually milled on a surface, in order to provide a better surface for gripping or turning; also called milling. 2. Same as knulling.

KO On drawings, abbr. for knockout.

koa A hard, light red to dark brown wood with a golden luster from the Hawaiian Islands; takes a fine polish, being marked with wavy lines; used for veneer, cabinets, and interior finish.

kondo The main, “Golden Hall” of a Buddhist monastery in Japan.

konistra In the ancient Greek theater, the orchestra.

korina, limba A hardwood of central and west Africa, light to moderately heavy, having a straight grain and fine texture; one variety is light cream to pale yellow in color, while the other is light brown; used for paneling.

KP Abbr. for kickplate.

kPa Symbol for “kilopascal,” a unit of pressure equal to 1000 pascals.

KP&D Abbr. for “kickplate and drip.”

kraft paper A heavy, high-strength paper, sized with resin, usually brown in color; used as a building paper.

kremlin 1. In Russia, the citadel of a town or city, serving as an administrative and religious center. 2. (initial cap.) The citadel of Moscow, a 90 acre (36 hectares) area surrounded by 15thcentury crenelated walls, entered by five steepled gate towers.